The Thai cabinet announced on October 22, 2024, that Thai citizenship will be granted to approximately 483,000 long-term migrants and children born in Thailand to ethnic minority parents. The decision aims to recognize the contribution of these individuals to the Thai economy and improve their ability to integrate into Thai society by granting them full citizenship rights.
Government spokesperson Jirayu Huangsap explained that this policy targets four specific groups. The first includes about 120,000 migrants who have lived and worked in Thailand between 1984 and 1999. The second group consists of 215,000 individuals who entered the country between 2005 and 2011. A third group comprises 29,000 children born to ethnic minority parents, and the fourth involves 113,000 children born to undocumented minority families.
This initiative reflects the government’s intent to support those who have legally resided in the country for years, enabling them to travel freely and remain active contributors to Thailand’s development. The Ministry of Interior will outline the regulations for this citizenship process within 60 days.
However, Jirayu cautioned that processing the applications could be a lengthy endeavor, potentially taking up to 44 years to finalize all requests. This timeline highlights the administrative challenges involved in handling such a large-scale naturalization process.
The policy is part of Thailand’s broader efforts to acknowledge and integrate long-term migrants and minorities into the fabric of its society, balancing humanitarian considerations with national interests.